Advent Info...

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year: twinkling lights, Christmas trees, secrets and surprises, giving of gifts, Christmas baking – and children excited with anticipation. It is too easy to get wrapped up in all of these things and forget to put Christ as the center of our celebration. One simple way for families to focus on Christ at this time is by celebrating Advent every Sunday during the month of December. Advent refers to the arrival or coming of Jesus Christ as a baby at Christmas, his arrival in word and spirit, and the day when he will return to earth. Celebrating Advent will provide you and you family the opportunity to make some wonderful family memories.

Advent begins the forth Sunday before Christmas. You will need an advent wreath and advent candles. The wreath doesn’t need to be an expensive or fancy one. Advent wreaths can be purchased or you could make one. An advent wreath is a wreath with four inserted candles around the wreath (three purple or blue, one pink or rose colored) and a white one in the middle.
You will need to :
Decide the time and place for your family: on on Sunday or also each day during the week.
Purchase or make and advent wreath.
Select a Bible and, for younger children, a children's’s bible or bible story book
Gather music for singing Christmas carols: cassette tape, CD piano or guitar.

Prepare the following:
Select the scriptures you will use and be familiar with them so that you can lead a short discussion about heir meaning.
Select the Christmas carols you will use.

The first Sunday of advent:
The Prophecy Candle
This candle reminds us that God always keeps his promises. On the first Sunday of Advent, gather the family together and light the first blue candle. This candle reminds us that hundreds of years before Jesus was born, God promised he would send a savior to save us from our sins. Read and discuss one of the advent scriptures. Close by holding hands around the advent wreath, pray and have one child blow out the candle (you will follow this same general procedure each Sunday until Christmas).

Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:21-23

Prayer:
Father, please bless us as we get together and uses our advent wreath. Help us to take time to learn more about the gift of your son, Jesus, through our study of the bible. Thank you for keeping your promises to send us a savior.

We love you, Amen.

The Second Sunday of Advent:
The Bethlehem Candle
On the second Sunday, light two blue candles, the prophecy candle and a new one. The Bethlehem candle is a reminder of the promise god made that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Take turns reading the verses below, then talk about them. How did god know where Mary would be when it was time for the baby to be born? What happened that made Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem. Sing, “O little town of Bethlehem” as you hold hands around the advent wreath. Close in prayer, thanking god for the greatest gift ever given: his son, Jesus Christ.

Micah 5:2 and Luke 2:1-7

Prayer:
Dear lord, thank you for giving us clues so we would know Jesus was really your son!

Amen.

The Third Sunday of Advent:
The Shepherd Candle
On the third Sunday, you will light the first and second candle and the rose candle. This candle reminds us of the joy of the Christ Child and is sometimes known as the Shepherd Candle. Rose is a sign of joy and hop that He is coming. The shepherds were so excited about what they had seen and heard that they went about telling everyone they saw. These first three candles are lit each night of this week as you read and discuss the Scripture for that day.

Luke 2:8-12 and Luke 2:15,16

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for telling us about your wonderful plan. It gives us joy to know you love us so much that you would send your only Son to earth. Help us to be like the angels and tell others about the Good News!
Amen.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent:
The Angel Candle

On the fourth Sunday, you will light all four candles. The last blue candle is often called The Angel Candle and represents the part the angels had in announcing “Good news of great joy” – the birth of Jesus! All four candles are lit each night that week as you read and discuss the various Scriptures.

Luke 1:26-31 and Luke 2:13,14

Lord, thank you for your angels that came to help Mary and Joseph understand your plan. It must have been wonderful to see the angel choir. Thank you for writing it in the Bible so we could know about it.
Amen.

Getting Product...

Orders were getting a bit too much for me to handle so I found a great local manufacture (with the help of some awesome mommies!!). Woo...hoo! I will have loads of product by the end of next week and will be able to fill orders within a day. I'm so excited that things are finally getting started. I will still be hand dying the lids myself and I hope to only use local vendors.
I had always planned to partner up with a charity, and donate a percentage of my profits to their cause. I think I have finally found the perfect charity! They work to help kids with autism get all the therapy they need. They have an amazing heart for what they do, and they REALLY do help the families they work with. When things are finalized I will reveal exactly who they are and what they do.

I'm Legal!!!

I got the dreaded signature and it was much easier than I thought it would be. The landlord was very nice... even sweet. Then I made my fourth trek to the city to get everything paid for and turned in. I even got to answer a question with "I own my own business." That was monumental for me. So if anyone out there needs help starting a business feel free to ask me questions and I'll help... I may ever write a book about it :)
~KN

The Beginning...

This begins the journey of Eli's Lids! It is 1:30 in the morning and my mind is reeling with ideas about my new business. I have my sellers permit so I'm now legal... almost. I still have to get my business license. Since Eli's Lids is a home business and we don't own our home I have to get a signature from our landlord. I'm not to thrilled about that because I think she is kinda a slum lord. I'm not sure if it is the peeled up laminate floors or the 40 year old faux marble green and cream counters that first gave me that impression but I'm nervous to ask for the signature.
I may not know whether I'll get the signature, but I do know that I make some pretty awesome hats for little boys!
More to come about my climb to fame... or at least my successful (or not) plee to the slum... I mean... landlord.
~KN

Here are some pictures of the final prototype for the snowboarder Lid. I had just finished sewing the brim on and I was beyond excited that it looked so cute on Eli.